The Muttur Massacre - a quest for the whole truth

In the first week of August 2006, 17 workers of the French Aid Agency Action Contre La Faim were killed in Muttur in the Trincomalee District of Sri Lanka. A number of questions concerning the incident still remain unanswered. Though it is vital to try to find out who was responsible for the killings, and why, there are other questions too as to the fuller reasons for the deaths of so many helpless youngsters. Sadly hardly any attention has been paid by those responsible to questions such as

a) why they went into Muttur, which was in a state of unrest at the time

b) why they remained there when all other aid workers were withdrawing

c) why they continued in their office despite government officials and religious leaders begging them to take shelter elsewhere.

Answers to these questions may explain the virulence with which the Agency has been criticizing the government of Sri Lanka and its officials ever since the incident. They may also explain why such attacks are replete with factual inaccuracies, innuendo and self-contradiction.

They may also explain why, having asked for a public inquiry, and remained in Sri Lanka for eighteen months after the incident, the Agency decided suddenly to withdraw when they were being cross-examined by a Commission of Inquiry appointed by the Government to look into the incident. This was followed by further criticism from a safe distance, following on a report of the Jaffna University Teachers for Human Rights, an organization that had independently sought the truth about the incident. This report points the finger of blame for the killings on a Muslim homeguard and two policemen.

Read the full article here,
http://defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20080707_07

UNP, JVP in dire straits - Minister Sirisena

When considering the prevailing political atmosphere of the country and the behaviour of the party members it is clear that UNP and the JVP are in a helpless stage, General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Minister Maithripala Sirisena said yesterday.

Addressing a UPFA news briefing held yesterday, Minister Sirisena said it was unfortunate that the present UNP leadership criticised the ongoing security operations to eradicate terrorism.

“While on foreign tours the Opposition Leader says that our Forces can never win the war or defeat the LTTE. Unlike the then great UNP leaders such as D.S. Senanayake and Dudley Senanayake the present UNP leadership is pessimistic and tarnishes the image of the country,” the Minister said.

More than 7,000 UNP and JVP party members have deserted their parties and taken the membership of United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) since they were fed up with their earlier parties.

There wasn’t any UNP Parliamentarian, head of the party or even a lawyer who participated on the occasion of submitting nomination lists but only the candidates. “It seemed clearly that even the party members are let down by the leadership and moreover it indicated that they would lose the election,” the Minister added.

Read more,
http://www.dailynews.lk/2008/07/09/pol01.asp

Ajantha Mendis’ Asia Cup heroics rewarded with promotion

Sri Lanka’s latest bowling find, ‘Mystery Man’ Ajantha Mendis has been promoted as a Commissioned Officer following his magnificent performance against India in the Asia Cricket Cup Final in Karachi and in accordance with a directive from the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Second Lieutenant Mendis spun a deadly spell of 6 for 13 off just 8 overs helping Sri Lanka to her first Asia Cup triumph on foreign soil.

Mendis, the only serviceman in the national cricket team, has earned the sobriquet ‘Mystery Man’ for the incredible variety of deliveries at his disposal which completely mesmerized normally competent players of spin bowling.

Sri Lanka won the Asia Cup for a record fourth time, beating India by 100 runs.

Extracted from,
http://www.news.lk/index.php

Sri Lankan 100m finalist seeking scholarship!

It took 18-year-old Shehan Abeypitiyage of Sri Lanka a good 10 minutes and a hint from an IAAF official to understand that he had just written a page of his country’s athletics history, albeit its World Junior history.

Indeed, Sri Lanka has had its share of medals at Olympic Games and World Championships but never had a representative of this Asian island managed to qualify for a final at the IAAF World Junior Championships.

With his semi final run of 10.59, Abeypitiyage grabbed the last qualifying place for tomorrow’s 100m final, a feat which has made him, his mother and his country very proud.

Is it true?

“Really? I’m in the final? You’re not telling me a lie?” was Abeypitiyage’s first reaction when told that his fourth place would be good enough to get through to the next round. “Let me wait for the official results on the screen just to be sure,” the Colombo-native said cautiously.

Read more,
http://www.iaaf.org/WJC08/news/kind=100/newsid=45832.html
Photo,
http://www.iaaf.org/mm/photo/competitions/competition/81859435_3694_full-prt.jpg
Profile of Shehan Abeypitiyage,
http://www.theworlds.org/athletes/biographies/country=SRI/athcode=236408/index.html

BCCI announces squad for Sri Lanka Test series

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday, July 8 announced the 16-member squad for the Test series in Sri Lanka.

Leg-spinner Anil Kumble will lead the Indian team, while Virender Sehwag will be his deputy.The BCCI has rested One Day International (ODI) captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, while Yuvraj Singh and S. Sreesanth have also been left out of the 16-member squad. Earlier, on Monday Dhoni had pulled out of the series, citing exhaustion due to too much cricket. Besides Anil Kumble and Virender Sehwag, the 16-member squad for the Test series includes Gautam Gambhir, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, V.V.S. Laxman, Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma, Dinesh Karthik, Parthiv Patel, Harbhajan Singh, Ishant Sharma, Zaheer Khan, RP Singh, Munaf Patel and Pragyan Ojha.

India's first Test against Sri Lanka begins on July 23 in Colombo.

Extracted from,
http://news.oneindia.in/2008/07/08

Sri Lanka agree to tour England

Sri Lanka will take Zimbabwe's place on a tour of England in 2009.

Zimbabwe's visit was cancelled after the England and Wales Cricket Board cut cricketing ties with them because of the political unrest in the country.

The ECB has moved quickly to fill the void for two Test matches and three one-day internationals during April and May 2009.

"We are delighted that Sri Lanka will tour in the early part of next summer," said ECB chief executive David Collier.

"The strong and close relationship that we built up during our recent winter tours to Sri Lanka allowed the ECB, at short notice, to be able to approach Sri Lanka and confirm their availability for the international matches in the early part of next summer."

Read more,
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/cricket/england/7495407.stm

Wanni Operation 07 th of July 2008

low quality version,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6CoocQiWkI
Source,
http://youtube.com/user/sinhahada



Source,
http://youtube.com/user/sinhahada



Source,
http://www.itn.lk/news_03_20080707.html

Historic oil exploration deal signed with India

The epoch-making Petroleum Resources Agreement was inked between Sri Lanka and India for the exploration and production of oil in Northern Sri Lankan waters in the Mannar basin, at Temple Trees yesterday with President Mahinda Rajapaksa presiding.

This historic agreement signed between Sri Lanka and India will now pave the way for the exploration and production of natural gas and hydrocarbon resources yet untapped by the nation.

The agreement was signed by Petroleum and Petroleum Resources Minister A..H.M. Fowzie for Sri Lanka and Indrajit Benerijee, the Chief Financial Officer of Cairn (Pvt) Limited of India.

A ‘Bonus Cheque’ of US $ one million was also handed over to President Rajapaksa, following the inking of the agreement.

Minister Fowzie addressing the participants at the signing ceremony, asserted that it was a ‘ray of hope’ in relieving all Sri Lankans from the ongoing global fuel crisis which has also plunged the whole world into a ‘coma’.

He thanked President Rajapaksa for his unstinted and concerted effort and his foresight in making this milestone venture a successful reality.

The Chief Financial Officer Cairn (Pvt) Limited Indrajit Benerijee noted that they were delighted to participate in this great venture as the first ‘Licencee’, to make Sri Lanka less dependant on oil imports.

Benerijee said the best practices and technology available in the sphere would be deployed in the process.

Read more,
http://www.dailynews.lk/2008/07/08/news01.asp
Photo,
http://www.dailynews.lk/2008/07/08/z_new350.jpg

Sri Lankan gov't warns of major rebel attack

The Sri Lankan government on Monday warned the public to be vigilant against a perceived major attack by Tamil Tiger rebels.

Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena told reporters that intelligence sections have warned of a major attack by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) during the next 48 hours.

"We have received information and it is our duty to protect state institutions," Abeywardena told reporters.

However, trade union leaders dismissed the warning as a political ploy to disrupt the scheduled one day token strike later this week.

The main left party the JVP or the People's Liberation Front backed by the main opposition United National Party has given notice of the strike for July 10 to protest high cost of living and other pressing issues.

The government maintained that the trade unions must not organize strikes at a critical time when the government has reached a decisive stage of its military battle against Tamil Tiger rebels.

Read more,
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-07/07/content_8506249.htm

Bharati Airtel to commence services by year-end

Bharathi Airtel, one of Asia's leading integrated telecom services providers, has made all the necessary arrangements to start operations in Sri Lanka by the end of this year, foreign news sources said quoting company officials.

Bharti Airtel provides services in three strategic business units - Mobile services, Broadband & Telephone (B&T) services and Enterprise services. The company is currently testing 3G services in the country besides their Second Generation (2G) cellular telecoms network.

Bharti Airtel recently received approval to launch 2G and 3G mobile services in Sri Lanka.

"We will roll out both 2G and 3G networks throughout Sri Lanka. The roll out will replicate the model currently followed in India," a company source said. The company will initially start operations in Colombo and thereafter move to other towns and rural areas, he added.

Bharti has tied up with Huawei Technologies to build and manage GSM mobile infrastructure in Sri Lanka. Huawei will deploy and manage Airtel's core network, BTS and end-to-end 2G/3G network solutions.

Read more,
http://www.news.lk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6377&Itemid=44

Mendis spins Sri Lanka to glory

Spinner Ajantha Mendis claimed six wickets to lead Sri Lanka to a 100-run victory over India in the final of the Asia Cup on Sunday.

Mendis (6-13 from eight overs), who was brought on in the 10th over after Virender Sehwag (60) threatened to make quick work of Sri Lanka's target of 273, struck twice in his first over and then picked up four more wickets to help his side bowl out India for 173.

Sanath Jayasuriya had cracked a blistering 125 and put on 131 runs for the fifth wicket with Tillakaratne Dilshan (56) to help Sri Lanka to 273, a target which had seemed inadequate on a placid pitch.

India lost Gautam Gambhir (six) but the runs flowed as Sehwag and Suresh Raina (16) took up the chase.

Mendis, however, turned the game around.

He first had Sehwag sent back, although the batsman plotted his own downfall by stepping out to hit the bowler over the top and was beaten by the flight and stumped by wicketkeeper Kumar Sangakkara.

Read more,
http://www.ecb.co.uk/news/world/ind-v-sl,301083,EN.html
Photo,
http://content-sl.cricinfo.com/asiacup/content/current/gallery/360104.html

Indian Navy to operate UAVs

The Indian Navy is the process of setting up facilities at the Naval Air Station at Uchipuli near here for operating two Israeli-built Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) to monitor the seas.

Naval Air Station officials said that Uchipuli was being upgraded into a regular commissioned Air Station so as to monitor coastal areas from Tuticorin to Chennai in the context of prolonged conflict between LTTE and Sri Lankan Army.

The decision to set up UAVs was taken after the visits of Vice Chief of Naval staff, Vice Admiral Raman Prem Suthan, Vice Admiral Nirmal Kumar Verma, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command, and Philip Val Haltren, Naval officer in charge, Tamil Nadu, at Rameswaram about a month ago, they said.

Among the facilities to be created at the Naval Air Station at Uchipuli to cater to the operation of UAVs are 6000 ft runway, a control room, service station for electronic gadgets and staff quarters, they said.

Since the UAV would fly at a higher altitude, steps should have to be taken to create 'excellent facilities' to operate them. The UAVs would help the Navy to monitor wider area of water surface continuously. With powerful sensor and radar, it would take pictures of even small boats and send images with exact location, the officials said.

Extracted from,
http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=453630&sid=NAT

Prabhakaran leads LTTE in paying homage to its suicide bombers

Elusive LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran led the Tamil rebels in paying homage to 365 members of its suicide squad killed since the Tigers first unleashed the deadly terror tactic 21 years ago.

A grim faced Prabhakaran, 53, who rarely comes out of his hiding, participated in the remembrance ceremonies at an undisclosed location in Wanni on Saturday.

The event coincided with the anniversary of the first suicide attack by LTTE "Black Tiger" identified as Captain Miller on the Sri Lanka Army troops garrisoned at Nelliyadi Central College in Vadamaraadchi in Jaffna in 1987.

"The celebrations in the Tamil homeland on Saturday began at 9.00am with the hoisting of the Tamil National flag all over the land," a LTTE statement said adding people paid homage to the "martyred" Black Tigers by lighting lamps.

Prabhakaran together with his "senior commanders," also paid homage by lighting lamps to the black tigers killed in the clashes, the LTTE said.

According to the pro-LTTE website Tamilnet, "76 of the 254 Black Sea Tigers who have died were female commandos".

It said 81 male and 71 female Black Tiger commandos have died in ground operations.

"Six music albums were released by head of LTTE Intelligence Wing S. Poddu, Special Commander of the Sea Tigers Col. Soosai, Head of LTTE's Military Intelligence Ratnam, Political Head B. Nadesan, Head of LTTE's military academies Col. Aathavan and a commander of the Sea Tigers Naren in the event," Tiger officials were quoted as saying.

Extracted from,
http://www.thehindu.com/holnus/001200807062075.htm
Photos,
http://www.puthinam.com/full.php?

MIG arriving after attacking tiger positions damaged in landing

SLAF MIG fighter jet arriving after a mission to strike tiger positions in Killinochchi has met with an accident when landing.

Though none of the crew was injured a wing of the jet has been slightly damaged.

A meeting place of senior tiger leaders at Wattakachchi area north of Iranamadu Tank was attacked by the Mig at about 3.30 p.m. today and the accident had occurred when the MIG was trying to land on its arrival.

Extracted from,
http://www.lankatruth.com/New/Full_Story_Page/2008/July/06/20080706_03.htm